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Lacazette marks first home start with goal as Arsenal lift Emirates Cup

Date published: Sunday 30th July 2017 7:45

Alexandre Lacazette marked his first start at the Emirates Stadium with a goal to help Arsenal lift the Emirates Cup despite losing to Sevilla.

The club-record signing came off the bench in Saturday’s comfortable win over Benfica but played from the start against Sevilla as the Gunners slipped to a 2-1 loss.

The rules of the competition dictate that every goal is rewarded with a point, meaning that despite Sevilla winning both of their games, Arsenal retain their own pre-season trophy after hitting five past Benfica.

Joaquin Correa had put the LaLiga outfit ahead early in the second half but Lacazette, who had been having a mixed afternoon, tapped home to level for Arsene Wenger’s side, only for Steven N’Zonzi to hit a fantastic winner.

Laurent Koscielny had the game’s first effort on target but his header was well-held by David Soria, while Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder could only hit the post after being played in by a slide-rule pass from Ever Banega.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, playing his first game of pre-season having turned out for Spain’s Under-21s at the European Championship, was guilty of firing over wildly from close range after a pinpoint cross from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Danny Welbeck was the next to fluff his lines, only able to hit the side-netting after a cheeky effort with the outside of his boot having been released by Lacazette.

Sevilla took the lead soon after the interval as Correa finished cutely past Petr Cech as Arsenal toiled to create chances at the other end.

Lacazette fired straight at Soria just before the hour mark but he finally found the back of the net shortly after, turning home Oxlade-Chamberlain’s low cross at the far post after Welbeck’s flick.

Former Blackburn and Stoke midfielder N’Zonzi put Sevilla back in front with a superbly-taken strike from the edge of the box.

Lacazette was replaced by Theo Walcott late on but the Gunners could not find an equaliser – although they still ended the weekend lifting silverware.